Wall bridges for grain removal



Nov. 2, 1965 M. D. FROESE 3,214,800

WALL BRIDGES FOR GRAIN REMOVAL Filed Oct. 7, 1963 \NVENTOR Marvin D. Froese United States Patent Oflice 3,214,800 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 3,214,800 WALL BRIDGES FOR GRAIN REMOVAL Marvin I). Froese, 429 Don Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 314,474 1 Claim. (Cl. 52-192) This invention relates to quantity removal of grain from a grainary, and the principal object thereof is: to provide a grain-restricting bridge for interior attachment to a grainary wall, and above an opening therein, so grain can be conveniently removed from the opening.

A further object of the invention is: to provide a bridge which can be positioned on the above grainary wall such, that the opening will be at a convenient height for the operator to open the door and insert an auger or other type of elevator, for power removal of said grain.

A further object of the invention is: to provide an intermediate frame to the grainary wall, for receiving the bridge thereon, for reinforcement of the edges of the wall opening, and for a door closure to shut against.

A further object of the invention is: to construct the bridge from a single piece of sheet material, and with a minimum loss of material.

A further object of the invention is: to design the bridge in a relative pyramid-shape, for simplicity of the manufacture, to provide an extremely strong construction for the purpose, with a minimum thickness of material, and so produce a light-weight low cost article of manufacture, which can also be stacked for quantity storage or shipment.

A further object of the invention is: to provide a modified sectional construction for releasable assembly into the said pyramid-shaped bridge construction, especially where compactness is required in shipping and storage.

A still further object of the invention is: to design the bridge such, that normally wasted portions of the material can be salvaged in the form of extensions to the bridge.

With the above important and other minor objects in view, which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction, arrangement and design of the various parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view through a por tion of a grainary, and showing the invention attached to the inner side of a wall thereof.

FIGURE 2 shows a layout of a one-piece bridge, be fore forming.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the formed onepiece bridge, mounted on a frame therefor.

FIGURE 4 shows a method of cutting out triangular parts from a flat sheet of material, for the formation of a modified bridge construction.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the formed modified bridge construction, from the parts in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

In its preferred form, this grain bridge is made from a single sheet of metal, as shown in the layout 10 of FIG- URE 2. This layout is of an isosceles trapezoid shape, with the two lower corners trimmed off, as at 11. The central area is divided into three equilateral triangles 12, 13 and 14, as indicated by the dotted lines 15, while a margin 16 is provided all around by the dotted lines 17. The margin around the upper part of each triangle is provided with three holes 18, while the two upper corners at 19, and the lower center at 20, are each cut, for margin separation.

The layout of FIGURE 2 is formed into a pyramidshaped housing or casing 21, shown in FIGURE 3, and which I call a bridge. In doing this, the two triangles 12 and 14 are turned down on the dotted lines 15, to form sides to a downward sloping roof formed by the triangle 13, while the margins 16 are turned upward on the lines 17, as flanges. The three flanges with the holes 18 therein are bent at a 45 angle, to present a U-shaped base, while the lower flange-s, without holes, are bent at a angle, as shown at 22, to reinforce the bottom edges of the bridge sides 12 and 14. In this figure it will be noted that the cut portions 19 have opened slightly, the bridge is in a horizontal position with three flat surfaces, as the bottom is open. The U-shaped base of the bridge is adapted to be received against the side bars 23 and 24, and the upper cross bar 25, of a U-shaped frame 26. This frame is preferably of wooden construction, with the sides thereof projecting some distance below the lower cross bar 27, which completes the bottom of a rectangular opening 28 therein.

The bridge housing 21 and frame 26 are designed for joint reception between studs 29 and the inner side of a grainary wall 30 (see FIGURE 1) after a rectangularshaped opening 31 has been cut in said wall, the frame 26 being positioned between the wall and the bridge. The wall of course is supported from a floor 32 and the spaced joists 33 therebelow. When the bridge construction is so positioned, the bars of the frame 26 encircle the opening 31, and are secured to the wall by bolts 34 and 35, the bolts 34 also passing through the holes 18 in the bridge base flanges. As the opening 28 in the frame is smaller than the opening 31 in the wall, a shoulder 36 results r therearound for reception of a closure door 37 thereagainst, said door being hinged at 38 to the wall, above the openings. In the drawings, this door is held open and against the wall by a hook and eye 39.

It will be observed in FIGURE 1 that when grain 40, such as wheat, oats or barley, fills the grainary, the upper part of this grain will rest on the triangular roof 13 of the bridge. Obviously, the grain on either side will press against the side triangles 12 and 14 thereof. The grain therebelow will slope down toward the wall, at approximately the same angle as the bottoms of the side triangles, as shown at 41. This applies to the majority of grains. One exception however is fiaxseed, which is very fluid. When such fills the grainary, it will flow nearly horizontal, and therefore enter the lower part of the bridge. However, as the bottom of the opening 28 is about level with the vertex 42 of the pyramid-shaped bridge, this grain will still be contained.

When grain is to be removed from the grainary, the door 37 is swung up to the position shown in FIGURE 1, and an anger or other type of elevator 43 is passed through the openings 28 and 31 and into the grain, where it can be positioned to the desired angle while resting on the cross bar 27. When the anger is power operated, the grain will be removed without spill, and from a short distance above the floor, if necessary. When the auger is removed, the door 37 can be dropped back against the shoulders on the frame 26 to keep out the weather.

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 show a modified construction for the same pyramid-type of bridge, where compactness is required in shipping and storing for single units, before installation. FIGURE 4 shows how three equilateral triangular sections 44, 45 and 46 can be cut from a sheet of material, leaving end corner pieces at 47, for a purpose later explained. The sharp corners of these sections are then cut off, as shown at 48. The sections 44 and 46 are each provided with borders 49, defined by the dotted lines 50, and one border side of each has three punched holes 51 therealong, a second border side has a line of corresponding slots 52, while the third is unpunched. The section 45 has a border 53 on one side thereof, defined by the dotted line 54, while all three sides of this section have three punched holes 55 therealong.

The above three triangular sections 44, 45 and 46 are formed in a pyramid-shaped bridge construction, as shown at 56 in FIGURE 5. The sections 44 and 46 form the tapered sides, and have their unpunched lower borders turned at right angles on the dotted lines 50 to provide edge-reinforcing flanges 57 along the bottoms of the sides. The upper borders, having the slots 52 therealong, are turned at an acute angle to receive the unbordered sides of the roof section 45. Bolts 58 pass through the slots 52 and holes 55 to connect this roof section with the side sections. The borders having the punched holes 51 are turned at a 45 angle, including the roof border 53, for contact with the frame 26 in the same manner as for the one-piece bridge, the same bolts 34 being used to secure the whole assembly to the wall 30. The above mentioned section connecting bolts 58 are not tightened until these, 34, clamp the assembly in place, and the sections take their final positions in relation to each other.

From the above it will be seen that the three sections 44, 45 and 46, form a knock-down construction, and when separated, can be positioned one above the other for flat compact storage or shipping, which means a considerable saving in freight when single units are shipped. While a little more material may be used, and a little more work may be required to connect the sections together, this arrangement would be more adaptable in conforming to uneven wall surfaces.

If the openings 28 and 31 do not have suflicient height for good maneuverability of the auger, the bottoms of these openings could be lowered, as desired. The difficulty would be that flaxseed could not be stored, as it would run out the openings. To correct this, holes 59 would be punched or drilled in the reinforcing flanges 22 or 57, and holes 60 in side flanges of the normally wasted corners 47 of the original sheet material. These corners can then be connected as lower extensions to the bridge sides, and in the form of a gable 61, indicated in dotted outline in FIGURE 1. In this arrangement, the end flanges 62 of the corners would be Vertical, and just below the vertex 42, and as these flanges contact,

they could be bolted together, or welded, to prevent flaxseed from entering the bottom of the bridge.

In summing up; due to the pyramid-shape of each type of bridge, a very strong construction results, as the triangular walls and roof reinforce each other from every grain contacting angle, and the turned-up flanges 22 and 57 amply reinforce the edges of the open bottom. These features permit the auger opening to be positioned at convenient heights for the operator, while the bridge itself can be fashioned from thin gauge metal, with ample strength, which also results in considerable savings. While the cut opening 31 will weaken the grainary wall, the bridge and the inserted frame 26 provides so much reinforcement that the Wall becomes stronger than before. At the same time, the frame provides a weatherproof stop for the door closure 37, while the bolts hold both the bridge and frame to the wall in a well-clamped fit. All types of grain can be accommodated, the grain itself is readily accessible, while no jamming occurs at the door. An auger can be quickly inserted for grain removal, and quickly withdrawn so the remaining grain can be protected. It will be an invaluable convenience to a farmer, as well as to other grain handling personnel.

What I claim as my invention is:

In combination with a grainary wall having an opening therein; a wall bridge unit for grain removal, comprising: a pyramid-shaped housing formed from an isosceles trapezoid-shaped piece of flat material; said material bent into three equal triangular-shaped sides and forming a fourth triangular open side to complete said pyramidshape; an inverted U-shaped reinforcing frame, corresponding in Width and receivable across the base of said shaped pyramid; and means for fastening the base edges of said pyramid triangles to said frame and to the wall of said grainary, around said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,217,424 2/17 Eaton 1893 1,645,568 10/27 Woodward.

2,601,049 6/52 Neighbour 21417.8 3,090,507 5/63 Gutekunst et al. 2l417.8

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

HUGO O. SHULZ, Examiner. 

